The Nuggets will be trying to increase their lead in the Western Conference standings when they face the 76ers on Monday night. The Nuggets are coming off a 129-106 win over Milwaukee while the Sixers are coming off a 125-105 loss to Phoenix.
Updates Injury for Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers
The Denver Nuggets have passed one obstacle and face another.
The Nuggets have been performing well as of late, as they enter this game riding a three-game win streak. A victory over the 76ers would be their fifth in the last six games and would extend their winning streak to four.
After beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night thanks to a strong second half performance, Denver (50-24) will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
The Denver Nuggets dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half, outscoring them 66-40. Jamal Murray, a major factor in the team’s success in the playoffs, scored 26 points and is heating up at the right time.
The 76ers are coming into this game on a two-game losing streak after struggling on their road trip. They hope that a victory over the Nuggets will give them their second win in the last five contests and end their losing streak.
Philadelphia (49-25) suffered its third straight and second in the last four games on Saturday night, a 20-point loss in Phoenix. In the Atlantic Division, the Sixers are in second place, four games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
- James Harden – Doubt vs. Nuggets
James Harden has missed three games for Philadelphia due to an Achilles injury, which is a contributing factor to the team’s struggles. Harden is averaging 21.4 points and 10.8 assists per game, both of which rank first in the NBA.
Coach Doc Rivers has stated that Harden’s health will take precedence over his playing time against the Nuggets, despite the fact that Harden is on the trip and available to play.
“You want them to get healthy, and you don’t want to coach trying to push guys to play, put any pressure on guys,” Rivers said Saturday. “We’ve got to be healthy when it counts. If that means James doesn’t play Monday, I have no qualms with that. We need him back, but we want him back for the long haul. We don’t want him in and out, especially at this point in the season.”
Harden (Achilles) may or may not play against the Nuggets on Monday. If he’s sidelined for the final matchup in the 76ers’ road trip, De’Anthony Melton will likely draw another start.
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On Monday, MVP hopefuls Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic will square off in a subplot of the game. Embiid leads the NBA in scoring with 33.3 points a game and had a statement game when the teams played in Philadelphia on Jan. 28.
Embiid won the game 126-119 with 47 points and 18 rebounds.
However, due to right calf tightness, Embiid’s status for Monday’s game against the Nuggets is in doubt.
Recently, Embiid has been on a roll. After recording a double-double on Saturday against the Suns, he reportedly hurt his calf and is questionable for Monday’s game.
If he can’t play, Paul Reed and Dewayne Dedmon will get more minutes in the paint.
Meanwhile, Jokic is coming off a 31-point, 11-assist performance against the Bucks and is only eight assists away from averaging a triple-double for the season. Before Embiid’s recent surge, it looked like Jokic would win his third consecutive MVP award.
While it would be great if Jokic won MVP, the Nuggets’ primary goal is to secure the Western Conference’s top seed. A victory over Philadelphia on Sunday would put them within striking distance of Memphis, who they trail by 3 1/2 games with only eight games remaining.
After suffering a four-game losing streak, Denver has won three in a row and can make it five with a sweep of this short homestand.
Injury Report Nuggets:
- Michael Porter Jr. (Heel) – Questionable
- Jack White (Covid-19) – Out
- Collin Gillespie (Lower Leg) – Out
Injury Report 76ers:
- Joel Embiid (Calf) – Questionable
- James Harden (Achilles) – Questionable
- Danuel House Jr. (Shoulder) – Questionable
